Skip to main content

Chong Wei, Lin Dan win, but three youngsters knock out stars

KUALA LUMPUR: Veterans Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia and Lin Dan of China flexed their muscles to reach the quarter-finals of the US$1.2mil South Korea Open in Seoul yesterday.
But three youngsters – Kenichi Tago of Japan and China’s Wang Zhengming and Du Pengyu – seized the limelight when they knocked out three China stars – Chen Long, reigning champion Chen Jin and Bao Chunlai respectively – in the second round.

Tago battled for one hour and 29 minutes to break the resolve of fourth-seeded Chen Long for a 20-22, 23-21, 21-16 win.

Pengyu and world junior champion Zhengming, however, did not face much resistance in their matches. Pengyu ousted Chunlai 21-16, 21-13 and Zhengming overcame Chen Jin 21-11, 21-14.
This has led to speculation that Chunlai and Chen Jin pulled their punches to allow their juniors to go through.
In today’s quarter-finals, Pengyu will face Tago while Zhengming has a tricky match against Chong Wei.
Yesterday, Chong Wei ripped South Korean Park Sung-hwan apart for a 21-14, 21-9 win in just 35 minutes.

National coach Teh Seu Bock was happy with the transformation in Chong Wei’s game.
Just a day earlier, the Malaysian was slow off the mark before finally prevailing against Denmark’s Jan O Jorgensen.

“I am happy with his condition here. He is a bit tired as he is coming into his third tournament this month. But I am happy that he is able to showcase the qualities in his game,” said Seu Bock.


The coach, however, was sceptical with the outcome of match between Zhengming and Chen Jin, saying: “I think Chen Jin is not prepared to face Chong Wei yet.”

The other quarter-final matches today will see Lin Dan facing Indonesian Taufik Hidayat and Denmark’s Peter-Gade Chris­tensen is up against a resurgent Simon Santoso of Indonesia.

So far, Lin Dan has not shown any signs of the back injury that resulted in him conceding a walkover in the quarter-finals of the Malaysia Open last week.

Yesterday, he took only 27 minutes to record a 21-9, 21-12 win over Marc Zwiebler of Germany.
Meanwhile, it was all over for Malaysia’s Wong Mew Choo when she ran out of steam against top seed Wang Xin, losing 16-21, 9-21 in the women’s singles second round.

Second round results
MEN
Singles: Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Park Sung-hwan (Kor) 21-14, 21-9; Wang Zhengming (Chn) bt Chen Jin (Chn) 21-11, 21-14; Kenichi Tago (Jpn) bt Chen Long (Chn) 20-22, 23-21, 21-16; Peter-Gade Christensen (Den) bt P. Kashyap (Ind) 21-16, 21-13; Taufik Hidayat (Ina) bt Wong Wing Ki (Hkg) 19-21, 21-18, 21-17; Lin Dan (Chn) bt Marc Zwiebler (Ger) 21-9, 21-12; Du Pengyu (Chn) bt Bao Chunlai (Chn) 21-16, 21-13; Simon Santoso (Ina) bt Rajiv Ouseph (Eng) 21-19, 21-15.
Doubles: Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen (Den) bt Naoki Kawamae-Shoji Sato (Jpn) 21-10, 21-10; Fang Chieh-min-Lee Sheng-mu (Tpe) bt Liu Xiaolong-Qiu Zihan (Chn) 21-18, 19-21, 21-11; Kim Ki-jung-Kim Sa-rang (Kor) bt Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan (Ina) 21-18, 21-18; Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Ong Soon Hock (Mas) bt Alven Yulianto-Hendra Gunawan (Ina) 21-18, 21-12; Ko Sung-hyun-Yoo Yeon-seong (Kor) bt Robert Blair-Flandi Limpele (Sco-Ina) 18-21, 21-15, 21-16; Mads Conrad-Petersen-Jonas Rasmussen (Den) bt Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng (Chn) 21-18, 17-21, 21-13; Jung Jae-sung-Lee Yong-dae (Kor) bt Chris Adcock-Andrew Ellis (Eng) 21-12, 21-10; Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (Mas) bt Hong Wei-Shen Ye (Chn) 25-23, 11-21, 21-19.

Matches involving Malaysians in other events
Women’s singles: Wang Xin (Chn) bt Wong Mew Choo 21-16, 21-9.


By RAJES PAUL


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ex-coach's jail sentence cut to a year

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal yesterday sentenced former athletics coach C. Ramanathan to 12 months' jail for molesting two junior athletes 19 years ago. A three-man bench led by Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus unanimously dismissed Ramanathan's appeal against conviction, but varied the jail sentence of four years to a year, which was to run concurrently. Following yesterday's ruling, Ramanathan, 75, a former teacher, walked out a free man as he had served 10 months in Kajang Prison. Convicts get one-third remission for good behaviour while in prison. However, he will lose his pension. Hishamudin, who sat with Datuk Abdul Wahab Patail and Datuk Linton Albert, said the court found no merit to overturn the conviction. "However, in reducing the sentence, we considered Ramanathan's age and the long years the appeal has taken." Deputy public prosecutor Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud submitted that then High Court judge Tan Sri Abdull Hamid E...
2 comments
Read more

Govt Always Gives Emphasis To Sporting Culture, Says PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, May 29 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badaw i said the government always gives emphasis on cultivating a strong sporting culture in achieving excellence at the international level. As such, the Prime Minister said, it was important to scout for young talents in sports. "I observe that the Malaysia Games (Sukma) has become one of the important platforms to do so. "In this arena, the potentials and skills of the youngsters can be identified for development so that they can achieve greater success in sports," he said in his message in the souvenir book of the 12th Sukma from May 31 until June 9. Abdullah said he was aware that competition in sports was very keen and challenging but this did not mean that Malaysian athletes were incapable of competing at the international level. "The fact is that we have all the characteristics required to be excellent. We must inculcate a strong fighting spirit so that we don't easily surrender,...
1 comment
Read more

Chance to catch Messi and company

  FAM deputy president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and vice president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin with FC Barcelona chief executive officer Antoni Rossich yesterday. Pic by Osman Adnan LIONEL Messi's presence alone could sell half the tickets despite reigning world club champions FC Barcelona's date with a Malaysian XI at the National Stadium on Aug 10 falling on the third day of Hari Raya. The much anticipated visit of the four-time European champions comes with expectations from fans who want a full star-studded line-up. "The summer will be a busy period with a lot of uncertainty with players moving away and coming in. "But yes, our plans are to bring our full team here," said FC Barcelona chief executive officer Antoni Rossich yesterday. Rossich was speaking at the announcement of the friendly match, which is part of the three-match FC Barcelona Asia Tour 2013, which sees the giants also visiting China and Thailand. Also pre...
2 comments
Read more